LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 21

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ening Service
The opening service for the 5dth regular convention
¢The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was held
uly 8, 1983, in the Alfonso J. Cervantes Convention
d Exhibition Center, St. Louis, Mo., with Dr. Ralph
‘ohlmann, President of The Lutheran Church—
iesouri Synod, serving as the preacher and Rev.
“Edwin Dubberke, pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church,
; serving as the presiding minister. In his
iddress President Bohlmann pointed out that this
ogervice will probably be remembered as one of the high
Soints of the convention as we lift high the cross of our
rd Jesus Christ. Basing his remarks on Col. 1:28, he
inted out that the church’s task is proclamation,
although this is not always the overriding concern
which is found in all churches. Some are concerned with
: political changes, power voting, tightening up of struc-
ure, and even we are minded to think that that is our
*"- etagk on occasions. If we ask the question, however,
“Lord, what would you have us do, the answer is
“proclaim.” We are to “make the Word of God fully
“ynown,” not be philosophers or agents of political
change.
“However, the task of the church is not just proclama-
: aan ‘tion. It may be important at some times to take positions
3 and to speak out on issues, but the point is thatitis Him,
that is, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim. This is the
“mystery hidden for ages and generations but now
made manifest to His saints.” The mystery is God’s
redemptive plan begun already in eternity and carried
out in human history in the person and work of Jesus
Christ. God has turned the lights on into the windows of
eternity and disclosed the mystery of Christ. We are
called on to make that mystery known—Christ, the
hope of glory. It is a fantastic task with fantastic
substance.

The goal of the church’s task is growth in Christ to
maturity, completion. Growth is a process word, and the
process and task is to present every man perfect,
complete, mature in Christ. It is the task for every
Christian who was given new birth in Holy Baptism,

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION

and then has grown within the church. That is the task
focused inwardly on the church. However, the growth .
goal is not only directed inward, but also outward. It
extends to every person. The task which the convention
will face will be the question of what each resolution
does to help us move closer to the goal of proclamation
both within the church and the world. The unfinished
task of the church is to bring that mystery of God’s plan
to the over three billion people who do not yet knowit. In
the message of the Gospel there is hope, the hope of
glory. It is Christ whom we proclaim.

Session 1

Saturday, July 9, Morning
Opening Devotion

The opening devotion for the first session of the
convention was led by Dr. Ralph Bohlmann, President
of the Synod, following an order of worship found on
page 162 of Today’s Business. Following the devotion
Dr. Bohlmann announced that Dr. George Bruening,
President of the Kansas District, who had been stricken
during the previous evening service, had spent a restful
night and was in stable condition.

Registration and Credentials

The Rev. Paul Wendling, President of the South
Dakota District and chairman of the Committee on
Registration, Credentials, and Elections, introduced
Marie Biesenthal, who was in charge of registration, to
report on the number of voting delegates registered. She
reported that 451 voting pastors were registered and 491
laypersons, fora total of 942 voting delegates. President
Wendling reminded the delegates that the number
present would fluctuate during the convention as dele-
gates come and go. He also reported that no valid
challenges had been received to the credentials of any
voting delegates. After it was determined that a quorum
had been established the convention received the report
of the committee.

Convention Gavel

Dr. August Suelflow, director of the Concordia
Historical Institute, presented a historic gavel to Dr.
Bohlmann for use in the opening and closing of the
convention. This historic gavel has been used since
1911, and President Bohlmann is the fifth synodical
president to use this gavel. It was first used by President
Pfotenhauer and had been prepared in 1910 by a
layman from a piece of wood taken from a beam of the
log cabin in Perry County which served as the first
seminary. The gavel, carved by a German craftsman,
contains carvings of Walther and Luther on either side
of the gavel head as well as the inscription of Rom. 3:28.

Call to Order

After receiving the gavel President Bohlmann, using